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Forum Discussion
Every time I move a file btween shared folders it'll recreate the file of 0 bytes in original folder
Say I have this in my Dropbox: ~/Dropbox/shared/folderA/foo.txt ~/Dropbox/shared/folderB/ The folder "~/Dropbox/shared/" is shared between 2 Dropbox accounts. Then I move "foo.txt" from "fold...
The issue is there for quite long (>6 months I guess). It's not new.
Rich
Super User II
Super User II
dropmeinbox wrote:
The issue is there for quite long (>6 months I guess). It's not new.
Look at the version history of the newly created file. You should be able to see which computer is replacing the file. Is it consistent?
Rich wrote:Look at the version history of the newly created file. You should be able to see which computer is replacing the file. Is it consistent?
Hi Rich ,
Cool I can check the version history!
My dropbox accounts and linked devices:
- Account_1
- macOS
- iPhone
- Windows #1
- Account_2
- Windows #2
- Windows #3
My macOS is not at hand for now. I tried a few times with Account_1 on iPhone and Windows #1 and it's very consitent that it's Account_2 who added back the zero-byte file. Since Account_2 has 2 logins on 2 Windows computers (remote logged in, not at hand for now either) so not sure which Windows computer (or both?) added back the zero-byte file. Will check details later.
- Account_1
- Rich
dropmeinbox wrote:
... it's very consitent that it's Account_2 who added back the zero-byte file.
Zero-byte issue aside, when a file keeps returning it's usually because there's a device that's unable to delete it. Look at it like this...
You move or delete a file out of a folder on your computer. Dropbox syncs that change up to the cloud, and the cloud notifies all other connected devices about the change. The other devices proceed to delete the file but one of them is unable to. Either the file is open or otherwise has a lock on it that prevents it from being deleted. Dropbox on that computer sees that there's still a file there and proceeds to upload it back to the cloud, which then notifies all the other clients to download it again.
Several others have had this issue and it's always been a problem deleting the file at the client level, though I don't think I've seen anyone mention that the returning file had a size of zero bytes.
Rich wrote:Either the file is open or otherwise has a lock on it that prevents it from being deleted.
The issue can be reproduced with any types of files. I can manually create a new .txt file and repro it. It's not likely all files are being opened/locked by some apps. And only file move can repro the issue, file delete cannot. Weird.
- Hannah
Dropbox Staff
Hey dropmeinbox, if you quit the Dropbox app and try to reproduce this, does the issue persist with the app closed?
Hannah wrote:Hey dropmeinbox, if you quit the Dropbox app and try to reproduce this, does the issue persist with the app closed?
Hi Hannah ,
Just tried and confirmed that the issue cannot be reproduced if I quit the Dropbox app from my Windows system. So sounds like it's the Dropbox app who recreated the zero-byte files.
- Jay
Hi dropmeinbox, is this occurring with any shared folder or just that specific shared folder?
Could you test this in a shared folder with a different member added to it, instead of the previous shared folder member?
Jay wrote:Hi dropmeinbox, is this occurring with any shared folder or just that specific shared folder?
Could you test this in a shared folder with a different member added to it, instead of the previous shared folder member?
Hi Jay ,
Yes the issue can be reproduced in any shared folders (and any sub-folders of them). For now I don't have another Windows PC to test another Dropbox account. Will update later when I get the result.
- Jay
This could still indicate that something is creating the file on your end. Here another test I'd like you to try:
- Create a shared folder between accounts A, B and C, call it folder 1
- Create another shared folder with just A and B, call it folder 2
- Same again for A and C, call it folder 3
- Same again for B and C, call it folder 4
- Add several random, non-zero, test files to these folders, at least 5 in each with different easy to read names.
- Pause the Dropbox desktop application syncing on A
- Make sure accounts B and C are currently syncing on their own desktop machines
- On the Dropbox site, while logged into account A, move a file from folder 1 to folder 2.
- See if the issue is replicated
- If not, move the file from folder 2 to 3
- See if the issue is replicated
- If not, logoff the site and login to account C
- Move the file from folder 3 to 4
Let me know the results from this test.
Jay wrote:This could still indicate that something is creating the file on your end.
Hi Jay ,
What's the reasoning here? I've confirmed that the issue cannot be repro'ed if I quit Dropbox app. And it's only happening in Dropbox's shared folders. I don't think there's some weird processes monitoring my shared Dropbox folders. Technically speaking can a 3rd-party process figure out which folder is shared between Dropbox accounts? Does the Dropbox app expose such info to 3rd party?
- Jay
I understand, since it's occurring in shared folders, it means that another device which is linked to the shared folder is creating those files.
It could either be a device linked to your current profile, if you have more than one machine on account A, or it could be account B creating the file.
There are many programs which monitor various folders on your machine, such as security software, other syncing software, and so on. It wouldn't be possible for us to determine what program this is.
The last method would be to completely quit all open applications, make sure the other machines are switched off to (to prevent syncing), and then try moving the files.
Jay wrote:There are many programs which monitor various folders on your machine, such as security software, other syncing software, and so on.
Yes our company's computers have anti-virus and other monitoring apps running. I have to live with it if it's these apps causing the issue.
